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Towel fragment Turkey Ottoman Empire Late 18th or early 19th century The Textile Museum 1999.18.4 Gift of David Dew Bruner 
The uncut warp loops on Turkish bath towels (havlu) created a kind of pile, which absorbed water quickly. Pile is seen here as bands above the embroidered design. Textiles with this weave structure later became known as terry cloth. This absorbent fabric delighted many 17th century European travelers to the Ottoman Empire. In 1614 Pietro Della Valle wrote: "....a certain kind of cloth produced here...which, as woven, has a pile on one side, namely the part of the lining; with the long, thick nap on the fabric just like our velvets...these garments dry one at once quickly and well all over. This is truly marvelous after bathing, either swimming or in the hot bath...." |
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© 2001, The Textile Museum, 2320 S Street, NW; Washington, DC 20008 |
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